"It is rumoured we are leaving here to go ----, but being a
rumour it won't come true. However, I shouldn't mind a
change. We are all fed up with this spot.
THE ALCOVE DUG-OUT,
_July 8th, 1915._
" ... How I long to be within the walls of our dear old
church! Some of the fellows can't realise or understand when
I tell them my church life and work are so much to me. I owe
all my happiness to God through my home and to the
associations and work at the church. I hope it will be His
Divine Will to spare me for fuller activities and to make up
for the sins of omission.
" ... Don't imagine for a minute we learn French out here.
We rarely see a civilian, and when we do we say, 'Avez vous
du pain?' and the reply is generally 'How many do you want?'
They know more English than we do French."
_Later._
"The fight for Hill 60 and the struggle with the Canadians
against the Hun at St. Julien has weakened our division, and
we are to be transferred further south to a quieter part of
the line.
"We are not sorry, for we feel sadly in need of a rest, and
Ypres and its environments are _literally_ a shell-swept
area of countless graves.
Pages:
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61